


Sun Tan

by ultraviolet_violet



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Light Smut, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:28:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25889617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultraviolet_violet/pseuds/ultraviolet_violet
Summary: Betty, Jughead, Sweet Pea and Fangs had all been friends since elementary school. Though Betty was the only girl, they never treated her as such and included her in everything they did.One summer day, Sweet Pea and Fangs had collectively decided that the four of them decided that they all deserved a day of fun. Of course, everyone goes along because who doesn’t love blowing off a day to spend it with your best friends (especially during the summer)?As the sun sets and the day comes to an end, suppressed feelings come out and those feelings may just bring at least two people closer by the end of the night.
Relationships: Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 8
Kudos: 53





	Sun Tan

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot come up with a summary for this to save my life and all of the ones that I _tried_ to come up with, we're horrible. But at least the one I chose gets to the point, right? 
> 
> Anyway, the title is from a song called Sun Tan by Wallows and the one shot has nothing to do with the song at all besides that it reminds me of summer. But I decided that y'all deserve a one shot that's bughead fluff because the last part of Flash of Red, bughead isn’t doing so hot. 
> 
> So, yeah. This is basically just bughead fluff and *smut* with a kind of re-imagined core four because I would love it if they incorporated Sweet Pea and Fangs into the show more than they already do (and Toni too, of course, even if she isn't mentioned in this one shot!).
> 
> Update: I finally came up with an okay-ish summary!!! I’m quite proud of myself.

Betty groaned at the sound of her phone buzzing under her pillow, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. She pulled it out a moment later, blinking at the messages left on her screen. 

**S: Get up  
S: Time to go  
S: We’re all going to the lake today  
S: You better be up when Fangs and I get there. You’re the only one who knows how to get Jughead out of bed**

She smiled at Sweet Pea’s texts, adjusting herself and sending him a quick text back. 

**B: How far are you from my house?**

She got out of bed as she waited for a response, fixing her bed until her phone buzzed. 

**S: We’ll be there in 10**

She nodded to herself, turning off her phone and setting it on her bed. She got changed into a swimsuit quickly, pulling on a dress on top of it. She got a bag ready with extra towels and clothes, putting sunscreen in it along with her keys. 

She slipped into shoes as she moved to the bathroom quietly, brushing her teeth and watching herself in the mirror. She hummed the tune of a random song in her head, bouncing around to it as she finished getting ready. She went back to her room when she was finished, picking up her phone and the bag before walking to the front door just as Sweet Pea pulled up.

“Morning.” He said as she climbed into the bed of the truck. Fangs opened the back window, Betty poking her head inside. 

“Hi.” She said and all three of them laughed. “Why do you have Jug’s truck?” She took the poptart Fangs handed her, frowning at his choice of breakfast but eating it anyway as she sat down.

Pea started the truck, driving off quickly. “Fangs snatched his keys last night when we were over there.” 

She gasped, kneeling so she could peer inside the open window. “You guys were at Jug’s last night and no one told me?” 

“We _did_ tell you.” She whined as she sat down, breaking a piece of the poptart off and eating it. “You were too busy watching your show to show up.” 

“ _One Tree Hill_ is _very_ important and I had to finish the season I was on.” 

Fangs turned around in his seat, giving her a smile. “Then you have no right complaining about not seeing Jughead last night.” She pouted, huffing as she sat back down against the truck. “Have you talked to Jughead this morning?”

“Nope,” she said simply, tapping her fingers against her thighs. “I woke up ten minutes before you guys got here, I didn’t have time to talk to him. I have a key to his trailer anyway and he won’t care if I come inside.” 

“He cares if we come inside,” Sweet Pea grumbled. Fangs whispered something to him and they both nodded, Betty pouting when she didn’t know what was said.

“I don’t like your inside jokes.” She said sassily as she crossed her arms, holding her nose high. 

Sweet Pea turned to look at her at a stop sign, giving her a smile. “You know you totally do.” She rolled her eyes and they all laughed, the three of them falling silent for the rest of the way to Jughead’s trailer. When they slowed to a stop in front of his trailer, she found her keys in her bag before she climbed out of the truck. “Go get your boyfriend.” 

“Fuck off.” Sweet Pea laughed and she rolled her eyes with a smirk as she walked up the steps to his door. She put the key in the lock, unlocking it and walking inside. She closed the door behind her, creeping through the trailer to his bedroom. She pushed open his bedroom door, walking over and laying down next to him on the bed. She whispered, “It’s almost noon, you know,” into his ear.

He jumped, looking over his shoulder at her before rubbing his hands over his face. “God, you can’t do that.” 

She giggled almost devilishly, kissing his cheek chastely. “Come on, wake up. We’re going to the lake.” 

“Ooh, have fun. I’m going to sleep.” He pulled the blanket over his shoulder, closing his eyes.

“No,” she said, drawing out the o as she pulled the blanket back down. “You’re going to come with us.” 

“I don’t want to drive right now, Betts.” 

“You’re not going to.” He furrowed his brows, rolling onto his back to look at her. “Sweet Pea has your keys-”

“What?” He got out of bed quickly, moving through the trailer and out the door, stepping onto the steps outside of the trailer. “Okay, really?” 

“It’s not like you were going to hand them over - and we’re doing it for a good reason!” Fangs gave him a bright smile and Jughead rolled his eyes, walking back inside of the trailer. 

She pouted, following him into his bedroom. “Please, Jug? I really, _really_ want you to come.” He looked over his shoulder at her as he walked to his dresser and she laughed as she leaned against his doorframe. “Please?” 

“I don’t have a choice, do I?” She clapped her hands and laughed excitedly, skipping over to him. 

“Thank you!” She threw her arms around his shoulders as he found swim trunks and a shirt, squeezing her hand. “Do you have a jacket I can wear? I forgot how cold it is in the bed of the truck and they rushed me out of the house this morning.” 

He pulled one out of his closet and she took it, Jughead pulling on his shirt when she let go of him. “Did you like watching your show last night?” She rolled her eyes playfully, pulling the jacket on.

“Oh, don’t start.” He chuckled and she shoved his shoulder lightly. “I would have come over but I was _right_ at the end and I knew if I came over, they wouldn’t let me watch it.” 

“Yes, they would have. You would just have to yell at them a few times.” She rolled her eyes and he watched her with a grin. “It would have been better if you were here, they were doing their wrestling thing all night.” She blushed a little, ducking her head to hide her smile as she turned. 

“I had important business to take care of.” He chuckled, his hand going to the small of her back as they walked out of his bedroom. She grabbed a banana off of his counter, leaning against the front door and looking up at him. His hand covered the knob and her hand covered his. “Eat this, please.” 

He narrowed his eyes, looking down at her. “I’m not hungry.” She peeled it as he talked, shoving it into his mouth. He grabbed it, shaking his head. “Rude,” he said around a mouthful. She gave him a smile, opening the door before the two of them walked out of the trailer. 

~

“Stop the truck.” Jughead grabbed Betty’s waist, making her sit down. “I’m being safe.” 

“You cannot preach safety to the three of us then basically stand up in the back of a truck while it’s moving.” She pouted and he chuckled, the truck stopping. “Why are we stopping at the grocery store?” 

She dug around in her bag before she found her wallet, giving him a smile. “We’re gonna have a picnic.” She got out of the truck bed, holding her hand out to him. “Come on.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head playfully, getting out himself. 

“What are you guys getting?” Sweet Pea called from inside the truck.

“She’s making us a picnic.” Pea and Fangs laughed, Betty waving to Jughead to hurry up as she held the door to the store open. “Betty, we don’t need a picnic.” he said once he was close enough to whisper to her.

“You guys are not getting out of eating lunch.” He huffed as she put a basket in his hands, Jughead following her through the store. “What kind of sandwiches do they eat?” 

“They’re human garbage disposals. They’ll eat anything, Betty.” She picked up turkey and ham, putting it in the basket along with cheese. “Why didn’t you do all of this stuff at home this morning?” 

“They rushed me out of the house, Jug.” He nodded, watching her put bread into the basket along with a few condiments. “What kind of chips do you want?”

“You’re not sending us off on a school field trip.” She gave him a look and he sighed. “Potato chips, I guess.” 

“That wasn’t hard, now was it?” He bit back his laugh, following her around the store and watching her fill the basket with things. 

“Where are you going to put all of this stuff?”

“I'm going to buy a basket.” 

He sighed, shaking his head. “Of course you are.” She smiled proudly at him, biting her lip as she stared at the pack of water. “We have some left in the truck.” She nodded, walking past it. 

They checked out after she put a few more things in the basket, Betty paying before the two of them walked out to the truck. “A basket?”

“And a blanket.” Pea rolled his eyes at her response and giggle, Jughead too caught up in a lust filled haze to give him a glare for doing so. “We haven’t had a picnic since elementary school.” 

“Really?” Betty nodded and Jughead shrugged, sitting down in the truck and taking the cigarettes Pea passed to him. “I haven’t noticed.” 

She frowned at him briefly before she put her wallet back, checking her phone. “What should I tell my mom?” 

He lit the cigarette and Sweet Pea started the truck, tucking his lighter back into his pocket. “Can you get Veronica to cover for you?” He asked after taking a drag. 

She shrugged, looking from him to her phone. “I’m just going to tell her I’ll be home late.” 

“Is she going to buy it?” She glanced over at him, her eyes slightly worried. “Just say you’re with Veronica. I’m sure she’ll say you two are together.” Betty sighed as she texted her mom, powering off her phone and putting it back in her bag, taking her sweatshirt off and putting that in there as well. Jughead watched her as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail as they drove, looking down at his hands and smiling a little to himself. 

“I don’t understand _why_ my mom doesn’t like the four of us hanging out.” She sighed, dropping her arms to her lap as Jughead looked back up at her. “She was fine with it in elementary school, why doesn’t she like it now?” 

“Probably because we’re boys and… you’re a girl.” 

“Yeah, but you guys don’t care, right?” He shook his head, taking a drag from his cigarette. “I just hate lying to her but I _have_ to lie to her to be able to hang out with you guys. It sucks.” 

“I think it also has something to do with all of us living on the Southside. We don’t live like you, Betts, and your mom doesn’t really like that.” She frowned, sighing. “Not to mention the three of us smoke like chimneys.” 

She giggled, shaking her head. “ _You_ don’t.” 

“Not yet.” She smiled at him and he chuckled, ducking his head to hide his own grin. 

~

They had gotten to the lake after 30 minutes, all three of the guys hurrying out of the truck. Betty had tried to stop Fangs and Sweet Pea so they would put sunscreen on, though neither of them listened. 

“No, come back here.” Betty put her hands on her hips and Jughead whined. “You’re putting on sunscreen.” 

He whined again, giving her an upset look and throwing his arms up. “But they didn’t put any on.” 

“And they’re going to get a painful sunburn because of that. Come here.” He groaned, stomping over to her. She turned him so he faced the water, rubbing sunscreen over his back.

“I’m not a baby. I don’t need sunscreen anymore.” She turned him again, rubbing some over his arms, chest and stomach, along with his legs. “I am 17. I can decide whether I can handle a sunburn or not.” She seemingly ignored him, squeezing a little into her hand and reaching for his face. He jerked back, shaking his head. “No. It’s bad enough you’re putting it on my body.” She pouted and gave him puppy-dog eyes and he could feel his reserve breaking. “God, fine. But don’t make it look dorkish.”

She giggled, reaching on her tiptoes to cover his face. “Very handsome.” She kissed the tip of his nose quickly and he huffed. “You can go now.” He smiled a little shaking his head as he hurried towards the water, Betty putting sunscreen on herself. 

~

Sweet Pea, Fangs and Jughead watched as Betty delicately made the sandwiches on the grass, Sweet Pea huffing. “If she was going to sit there all day, there was no sense of her coming.” 

“Hey, she’s trying to feed us. Be grateful.” Jughead said when he glanced at them. “Betty!” He yelled and her head turned. “Get over here!” 

“No!” She yelled back, setting the sandwich in a bag carefully. “I’m busy.” She said in her normal voice followed by a huff. 

“At least she’s not tanning.” Jughead and Sweet Pea agreed with Fangs silently with a quirk of their brows. “Has she always had that swimsuit?” 

“Woah,” Jughead said, furrowing his brows. “You just went from complaining about her to checking her out?” 

“I’d date Betty.” Fangs said simply and Sweet Pea nodded. “But, I mean, not now because… well, she’s not interested in any of us but Jughead.” 

Jughead gave them an incredulous look, shaking his head. “She is not interested in me.” 

Sweet Pea and Fangs laughed, Sweet Pea scoffing. “Yeah, okay. Just like how you’re not pinning for her.”

“I’m not. Betty and I have just been friends for a long time, that’s all.” Sweet Pea and Fangs exchanged a glance and Jughead huffed, getting out of the water. “Come on,” he said as he walked over to Betty. 

“No, I’m not done.” She pouted like a child, moving so she was kneeling. “I have to-”

He grabbed her arm lightly to stop her from reaching for another piece of bread, giving her a small smile. “You’ve made enough sandwiches, Betty.” 

She watched him for a moment before she sighed. “Let me just-”

“Okay,” he picked her up, draping her over his shoulder.

“Jughead! I wasn’t finished!” She hit his back as he carried her to the water. 

“And we’re 17. We can make our own sandwiches if we have to.” He said sternly, moving his head so her hips wouldn’t hit him in the head as she wriggled in his arms. 

He set her down in the shallow part of the water and she frowned. “I wasn’t done.” She said as a whine.

“Oh, quit pouting.” He swam out towards the middle of the water, winking. “Come on…” She stood with her arms crossed for a moment, watching the three of them. Jughead raised an eyebrow in question and she huffed, swimming over to him. “Here she comes,” 

~

Betty threw her head back as she laughed at something Sweet Pea did, Jughead leaning against the tree and just admiring her. Her hair was down around her shoulders and her smile was effortless - she _looked_ effortless, but there was never a time of the day where she didn’t. 

She giggled a little another moment later and her head turned, her eyes meeting his. She blushed a little as she smiled, turning back to Sweet Pea and Fangs and tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear, exposing part of her neck. He traced the new skin, smirking to himself before looking back down at the book in his hands. 

He wasn’t sure how long he read (or if he had read at all). He had gotten lost on the page he was _supposed_ to be reading, only being able to think about Betty. He had ended up forgetting about the book all together, letting it fall closed in his lap as he watched the water. 

Betty had walked over quietly, sighing a little to get his attention. He looked up at her, giving her a smile as she sat down next to him. “What are you doing?” She asked quietly as she twisted her hair tie around her wrist. 

He shrugged, setting his book on the ground beside him. “Staring, I guess.” She giggled a little, leaning against the tree. “Fangs said he’d date you. Pea agreed,” she gave him an incredulous look and he nodded. “I’m serious.”

“Me?” He nodded and she bit her lip. “What’d you say?” 

She watched him with a silent question in her eyes and he just shrugged, looking away from her and back to the water. “I-I was going to get you when they said it. I just overheard it.” 

“Oh,” she said it almost sadly, nodding. 

“Would you?” She furrowed her brows, giving him a confused look when he glanced back over at her. “Date them?” 

She thought it over for a moment before she shook her head. “No. No, I don’t think I would. I only see them as friends, that’s all they will ever be. And I don’t… just because they say they’ll date me doesn’t mean I see them any differently. They’re guys, I expected them to say something. And I’m not saying that to be cocky at all because…” she laughed a little, shrugging. “I’m not that pretty but I’m always around, you know. So I just-” 

He watched her talk before he interrupted her, saying, “You are pretty.” 

“Thought-” she stopped talking, looking over at him. “What?” 

“You _are_ pretty. You’re-You’re more than pretty, Betty. You’re…” he sighed, running his eyes over her face. “You’re gorgeous.” 

She blushed, biting her lip as she looked down at her lap. “You’re only saying that because I’m in a tiny bikini.” 

“No,” he whispered and she looked back up at him. “You’re gorgeous no matter what you wear or… what you look like. You’re just… you’re beautiful.” Her mouth parted when she let out a breath, her eyes focusing on his lips. 

“Lovebirds!” They moved apart at Sweet Pea’s yell, Betty collecting herself while Jughead just clenched his jaw. “If we want to get to the drive-in for a good spot, we have to leave in a few minutes! Let's go!” Jughead cleared his throat as he stood, Betty crossing her arms over her chest sheepishly as they both walked over to their make-shift picnic. 

~

Betty climbed down and out of the bed of the truck, Jughead following. She moved to Sweet Pea’s door, standing on the wheel of the truck so she could look at him. “Do you guys want any specific snacks? Jug and I were going to get some at the dollar store down the street since they’re cheaper there than they are here.” Pea glanced over at Fangs who shook his head and she nodded. “Okay. We’ll be back soon. Come on, Jug.” 

He tucked his hands in his pockets, the two of them walking to the store in silence side-by-side. He watched her with a small smile, feeling a little stupid for not kissing her earlier. Pea and Fangs had teased him about it as she changed out of her wet swimsuit behind a bush, telling him he was an idiot for not acting on it. He knew he was stupid, but hearing it just made him annoyed. 

They got to the store quickly, Betty twisting her wallet in her hands as they walked down the aisle, leaning closer towards him. “I have a question.” She paused her step to look at him and he raised his brows as an answer. “Who do you think would play me in a movie about… my life?” 

“Who would play you? Like now you?” She nodded and he ran his eyes over her, chewing the inside of his lip. “Well, older you would be Blake Lively,” she raised her brow and he chuckled. “And, uh, now you would be…” he sighed, trying to wrack his brain for an actress. “God, Betts, I don’t know. You. You would play yourself.” 

She huffed. “No, that’s not fair. You can’t do that.” 

“Nobody can play you. You-You’re Betty. Betty has to play Betty.” 

She blushed a little before she narrowed her eyes a little. “But you already said Blake Lively.” 

“Okay,” he chuckled, sighing. “Then I choose Blake Lively.” 

She hummed, nodding. “Young Jeremy Sisto would play you, if he had darker hair.” 

“Okay,” he chuckled, rubbing a hand over his face. “You knew that answer off the top of your head?”

“I think about this stuff when I get bored.” He nodded, following her when she walked towards the snack aisle. “And I know he’s not young anymore, but you know.”

“I only think you say that because you think young Jermey Sisto is attractive.” She scoffed, shaking her head. “I know your secrets.” She laughed and he chuckled, Betty rolling her eyes playfully. 

~

“Ooh! Jug, look!” Betty pointed to the playground excitedly, jumping up and down once before bouncing on her feet. “What time is it?” Jughead pulled out his phone, flashing it at her. “Can we go over there? Just for a few minutes? Please?” She begged him, giving him a pouty look. “Pretty, pretty, _pretty_ please?”

“Betty, we should go back-”

“Just a few minutes. _Please_.” She stuck out her bottom lip, blinking up at him through her lashes.

He sighed, looking over at the park then back at her. “Fine. Okay, go.” She squealed happily, handing him the bag and her wallet before running over to the park. He shook his head incredulously, laughing to himself as he walked over to her. 

“Jug, get up here!” She yelled it from the top of the tallest slide before she slid down, meeting him at the bottom. “Come slide with me.” She took the things in his hands and dropped them on the ground, tugging him to the tallest slide. She sat him down, sitting down in his lap. “Go.”

“Give me a sec,” he laughed as he adjusted them. They slid down a moment later and she laughed loudly, throwing her head back onto his shoulder as he laughed himself. “I barely fit in this thing.” She laughed again, only making him laugh even harder. 

She sighed, squealing a moment later and jumping off of his lap. She hurried over to the monkey bars she found, Jughead following slowly behind her as he collected himself. He watched her as she started to move over them easily, chuckling when she jumped down. 

“Your strap…” she furrowed and he stepped over to her, fixing the strap on her dress. 

She swallowed thickly at the sudden closeness, biting her lip. “They fall easily.” 

He nodded, her eyes shining from the large movie screen that was lit up a few feet away. “I can tell.” She giggled softly, looking to her left.

She gasped, turning. “Swings.” She moved over to them, sitting down in one and starting to swing aimlessly. He watched her for a few moments before he walked over to her. He sighed, sitting down in the swing next to her. “Isn’t it pretty out here right now? I never really get to be outside this late it seems.” 

He smiled a little, shaking his head. “It’s only like nine and we’re always outside this late.”

She sighed, biting her lip. “I know but… we’re, like, in Pea’s dad's shop and it has lights and you can’t… you can’t see the stars in there. But here…” she smiled brightly and his heart warmed. “You can still see the stars.” 

He nodded, looking up at the sky like she was doing. “It is pretty, isn’t it?” She looked over at him with a smile and he smiled back before they both looked at the sky again. A moment later he felt her hand brush his and it was the first time he realized she had gotten off of her swing. 

She held her hand out to him and he looked down at it then up at her eyes. He took it after a moment, standing and letting her move him over to a hidden platform of the playground. She sat him down slowly, biting her lip as she watched him. “This stays between us for now, okay?” 

He gave her a calm look but inside, his brain was sending him warning signals. “Should I be worried?” 

“If you don’t want to do this, we don’t have to.” Her eyes were worried and guarded and he furrowed his brows. 

“What do you want to do?” She watched him for a moment before she inhaled deeply, stepping between his knees and cupping his cheeks. In a moment, she was kissing him and he stilled under her. That was the last thing he was expecting. 

After his brain finally registered what was happening, his arms wrapped around her waist and he held her to him as he kissed her back roughly, her hands slipping into his hair when she whimpered softly. _Holy fuck_ , he thought. _Betty Cooper is kissing_ me. _Not Sweet Pea, not Fangs, not Archie;_ me. He smirked when she pulled back, a blush high on her cheeks.

“Was that okay?” He nodded and she bit her lip, wringing her hands together as she watched him. They could hear the movie starting to play in the background and Jughead could hear his phone buzzing faintly from where their things were still sitting. 

She let out a deep breath and he swallowed thickly, letting go of her as she stepped back. She held eye contact with him as she slowly reached up and started to pull the strap of her dress down. His eyes followed her hands, watching as she did the other one before the dress fell down off of her body completely. He swallowed thickly as he took her in, his eyes slowly finding hers again. 

She had her hands glued to her sides to fight from hiding any part of her and he let out a breath. “I want you…” she stepped out of the dress completely and stepped over to him, his hands gripping her hips as he fought to hold eye contact with her. She carefully draped her arms over her shoulders, lowering herself to straddle his waist. “I want you, Jug. I need you,” she whispered quietly. 

He let out another sharp breath before he kissed her again, her hands pushing under his t-shirt as the kiss grew messy and sloppy. He pulled back and let her take his shirt off, Betty dropping it behind him before he cupped her cheeks and pulled her face back to his. She gasped into the kiss at the feeling of his chest against hers, his mouth moving over her neck. 

He knew he wasn’t her first. She knew she wasn’t his first either. Maybe that was a good thing, just in case if this memory ever got turned sour. “Touch me, Jug. Please,” she said breathlessly against his lips and his hands reached up to cup her breasts. She stilled for a moment before she arched into his touch when his thumbs brushed over her nipples faintly. 

Her hands worked on pushing his shorts down, her hand gripping him when she got them down around his thighs. He grunted into their kiss, Betty whimpering when he pinched her nipple lightly. 

She let out a breath when his mouth moved over her neck, stopping to suck at her pulse lightly. She bit her lip to keep in a moan as he rubbed himself over her, her head falling to his shoulder. "I need you, Jug. God, I need you." She mumbled and he grunted, angling her hips over him. She cupped his cheeks and kissed him roughly, moving onto her knees so she could sink down on him comfortably. Suddenly, his phone started to ring and they both groaned, their chests heaving as they pulled apart to look at each other. 

He reached up and brushed hair off of her forehead, tucking it behind her ear. “We should wait.” She deflated a little, nodding. “We can… you can stay with me tonight.” She smiled a little, biting her lip as she nodded again, not being able to find words to use. She was sure they would come out in a strangled mess anyway and would be barely coherent. He kissed her quickly, Betty getting off of his lap to put her dress back on while he redressed himself. They walked over to their things, Jughead powering off his phone before he looked over at her. “You’ve had nothing on underneath that this whole time?” 

“I guess I’m just full of surprises like that.” He chuckled, cupping her chin and kissing her roughly until she twisted her hands into the front of his t-shirt, pulling back and basically panting. “Between us, okay?” 

“Trust me, they’re the last people I’d tell.” 

“I don’t want you telling anyone, Jug.”

He chuckled, squeezing her shoulders. “What, you embarrassed of me?” 

“No, no. God, Jug, no.” She sighed, biting her lip. “It’s just that we’re best friends and I don’t… want people knowing yet. I want something to myself for once.” 

“Ah,” he nodded, giving her a teasing look. “You don’t want to share me, I get it.” She laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. 

She ran her eyes over his face for a moment before she said, “You’re still my best friend.” He nodded, kissing her forehead before stepping away from her. “But I’m serious, don’t tell anyone. Not your mom, your sister. Nobody, Jug.” 

“You have my word, promise.” She nodded with a sigh and she took her wallet from him, the two of them walking back to the truck. 

Jughead tapped the side of it, Fangs’s head turning. “Damn,” Fangs said. “Took you two long enough, Jesus.” 

“You two get lost or something?” Pea piped in, digging through the bag as Betty sat down in Jughead’s lap. 

“Betty found a park and she just _had_ to play on it.” She glared at him and he winked, handing her a Twizzler when she reached for one. 

Pea glanced over at her, raising a brow. “A park? Really?” 

“What?” She pouted a little as she bit the piece of candy, shivering a little when the wind blew. Jughead pulled his jaket out of her bag, passing it to her. “It was an important thing, right, Jug?” She glanced at him as she put the jacket on. 

He nodded, smiling. “It had monkey bars. You don’t pass up monkey bars.” 

“I feel like that’s some weird code word for sex.” Betty’s cheeks flushed and she fought it while Jughead just rubbed the back of his neck. “God knows you two are close and have weird phrases for, like, everything.” 

Sweet Pea shrugged, drinking from a bottle of water and putting the cap on it. “Betty wouldn’t do it.” 

“Do what?” She furrowed her brows, crossing her arms. “I’ve had sex.” Sweet Pea raised his brow at her questionably and she huffed. “I have!” 

“Okay, okay. I believe you.” She frowned, taking the Twizzler Jughead passed her angrily. 

She pouted, laying back on Jughead’s shoulder to watch the movie. “Ass.” Jughead and Fangs snickered at Betty’s mumbled word, Sweet Pea rolling his eyes. 

~

Betty rested her head on the side of the truck, watching Jughead with tired eyes. He just smiled at her, his thumb rubbing over the back of her hand that he was holding. It was dark now and the only light they had was from the headlights. Sweet Pea and Fangs were playing their music too loud in the truck so if Betty and Jughead wanted to talk without being right next to each other, they would have to shout and neither of them wanted to do that. 

He dropped her hand and she furrowed her brows, watching his hand closely. She smiled as he wrote out “I love u” on the window from the fog that was there from it being much cooler inside the truck than it was outside. 

He gave her a sheepish look afterwards and she bit her lip, moving over to sit between his legs carefully, seeing as the truck was moving. She laid so her back was against his front and he had wrapped his arms around her waist, her hands settling on top of his own on her stomach. 

“You love me?” She whispered, moving her head back to look up at him. 

He nodded, smiling a little as he said, “Yeah, I’ve always loved you.” She lifted herself and kissed him quickly, sitting back down and laying her head back on his chest. 

They were quiet for some time, his hand rubbing over hers until she said, “I love you, too.” quiet enough just so he could hear it. 

~

“Let me have my keys, Pea.” 

“I’ll give ’em back in the morning, how does that sound?” Betty stood tiredly next to Jughead, twirling with the bag in her hands as it hit against her calves. 

“She has to use the bathroom, give me my keys.” She froze, giving Jughead an upset look. 

“I don’t have to use the bathroom.” All three guys gave her a look and she started to twist again. “I have to use the bathroom.”

Jughead gave Pea a pointed look and he groaned, getting out of the truck when Jughead stepped back, Fangs following. Pea dropped the keys in his hand, whining as he stomped away. 

Betty and Jughead walked over to the trailer, Betty bouncing beside him. “Unlock the door _please_.” She begged through a whine.

“I thought you didn’t have to use the bathroom.” She whined again and he chuckled, unlocking the door and pushing it open. She ran inside and dropped her bag and the basket she had bought, running to the bathroom and slamming the door shut. He shook his head, turning on a light and picking up her things. 

She walked out a few minutes later, walking into the kitchen and resting her chin on his shoulder. “I’m tired, Jug.” She whispered quietly, watching him with sorry eyes.

He nodded, setting the bread in his hands on the counter. “Yeah, I figured that when you fell asleep on the way over here.” He turned and she brushed hair off of his forehead. “We don’t have to do anything tonight, we can wait. We should wait, that’s probably our best option.”

“You don’t think I’m lying about me being tired, right?” 

“No, Betts, I get it. We had a long day, we’re bound to be tired.” She nodded and he gave her a small smile. “You’re okay, you can be tired, I understand. I grew up with you, I know your limits and I was almost 90% sure you’d fall asleep early tonight.” 

She laughed a little, biting her lip. “Can I still stay?” 

“Yes, Betty, you can still stay. I’m not going to just kick you out all because you don’t want to do something.”

“Actually,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “You did that once.” He furrowed his brows, shaking his head. “Yes, you did. We were 7 and I came over to _bake_ and then you kicked me out because I wouldn’t play one of your stupid video games with you. Of course your dad made you let me back in, but still.” 

“Well,” he kissed her quickly, giving her a smile. “I can promise you I’ve changed from a 7-year-old asshole to an annoying 17-year-old.” 

“You’re not annoying, just hot headed.”

“Oh, gee. Thanks, Betts.” She giggled, kissing his cheek before she yawned. “And now she’s sleepy.” She pouted and he laughed as they moved back to his bedroom.

**Author's Note:**

> If you made it this far, I hope you enjoyed! I honestly had a lot of fun writing this and I *might* try writing bughead summer fics and fluff more often. Also, this is my favorite Betty to write for some reason. All of your guys' comments and kudos are greatly appreciated and thank you to each and every one of you that read this!


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